Aston Villa v Liverpool preview

Published Dec. 16, 2011 7:15 a.m. ET

foxsports

Aston Villa will be without joint top scorer Gabriel Agbonlahor. Agbonlahor, who has five goals this season, will have to serve a one-match suspension after picking up five yellow cards this season. Emile Heskey is in contention to partner Darren Bent up front. Midfielder Fabian Delph is available after missing last weekend's victory at Bolton with a knee injury. Defender Eric Lichaj (hip) is Villa's only long-term casualty. Jordan Henderson looks likely to continue as Charlie Adam's partner in central midfield for Liverpool. Jay Spearing serves the second of a two-match ban while Steven Gerrard (ankle) has not played since late October and Lucas Leiva (knee) is out for the season. Winger Stewart Downing is set to face the club he left in the summer while Maxi Rodriguez will be hoping to make successive league starts for the first time since May. Villa (from): Guzan, Hutton, Cuellar, Collins, Dunne, Clark, Warnock, Beye, Herd, Delph, Bannan, Petrov, Ireland, Albrighton, Bent, Heskey, Delfouneso, N'Zogbia, Weimann, Marshall. Liverpool (from): Reina, Johnson, Agger, Skrtel, Enrique, Kuyt, Adam, Henderson, Downing, Suarez, Rodriguez, Doni, Kelly, Carragher, Coates, Shelvey, Coady, Bellamy, Carroll.